MUNCIE – Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS) has a lot riding on the merger of Southside and Central high schools.

Each year, MITS provides transportation for hundreds of high school students in the district. That won’t change this school year, although some of the routes have.

“We have adjusted some of our routes to get Southside-area students to Central,” said MITS assistant general manager Christy Foster.

This will be the first school year at the newly merged Central High School. Southside will become a middle school (Wilson Middle School was closed).

Mitchell Brashear, director of transportation with MITS, said adjustments are being made to five routes (8-12), which will all now have a drop off at Central (and pick up after school there).

He said some of the routes will start a little earlier to accommodate the adjustments, “about five to 10 minutes.”

Like previous years, there will be regular bus routes in that area (with Central stops), as well as three “tripper” buses that are sent to that area specifically to transport students.

The locations of the bus stops will not change, Brashear noted, and transportation will continue to be provided free of charge for students.

“We have been carrying the high school students since 1997,” said Brashear, who has been with MITS for 25 years.

Brashear said before the merger, MITS provided rides to about 800 high schools kids each school day, about 400 from each school.

He said it’s unclear if all of those students will be riding this fall. “Then you have to think about all of the kids that lived within the walk boundaries at Southside, but now will have to ride us or have some other transportation,” he said.

Foster said MITS understands that “safety is a huge concern for most parents with this new merger and that is something I think MITS takes great pride in,” adding that there are cameras on all buses and that “everyone is trained and ready.”

“So not only will they get to school, but they will get there safely.”

Middle school added into mix

MITS has never had an arrangement with MCS to carry middle or elementary school students.

However, this fall, MITS will offer middle school students within the walk boundaries at Southside rides — morning and afternoon.

“That’s not in connection with the schools,” Foster said. “We are just doing that as a community service.”

Foster added that considering the recent bone-chilling winter, it’s good to have “a warm, safe ride to school.” Brashear also mentioned that the lack of sidewalks in the winter because of snow cover could pose problems for the middle school walkers.

MCS Communications Director Ana Pichardo-Delk said district officials will be meeting with MITS officials in the weeks leading up to the start of school to finalize the high school routes.

Booklets with all of the routes will be available to students and parents during registration and orientation at Central and Southside, Foster noted.

MITS also has a web site (which will be updated in a few days), a real-time app and a Facebook and Twitter presence.

MITS plans to add a new trip planner to the app by the time schools starts. Users will plug in their starting location and ending location and what time they need to get there and the app will then tell them what stop they need to be at (and when) to get there on time.

As for the yellow school buses, Muncie Community Schools, The Star Press reported this week, is cutting the number of those hitting the road this fall.

There will be five fewer buses running and 17 fewer routes, according to M&M Bus Company officials.

The route changes have been posted on the district’s web site. Honeywell alerts will be going out to parents in the next few weeks concerning the route changes. Parents will be asked to call M&M beginning Aug. 1 to confirm pick up times. Calls will be taken between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday at 282-1717.